Filthy Rich

Jun 14, 2018

The term ‘Filthy Rich’ was formerly used to discuss someone who was very wealthy, and who possibly became rich via unfair means. Today, the phrase’s meaning has softened a bit, and it is often used to talk about someone who is extremely rich, even if they became wealthy by honest means.

Example in use: “The preacher and his wife moved into a mansion; suddenly, they’re filthy rich.”

Interesting fact

Although the term ‘filthy rich’ can be traced back to a 16th century iteration, the exact phrase was first used during the 1920s, as illustrated in a 1929 edition of an Ohio newspaper called The Lima News in a story discussing the effects of the Great Depression, when many people were forced to sell their homes or starve: “There is a depressed market. If any of our stock-gambling filthy rich want a winter home, now is the time to acquire it.”